Working Towards a Better Financial System for Cameroon.
An independent think tank focused on financial innovation, regulatory engagement, and building practical infrastructure that helps Cameroon's fintech sector grow — responsibly.
Our Four Pillars
01
Research & Intelligence
Data-driven analysis of Cameroon's financial landscape — identifying gaps and where focused effort can make a real difference.
02
Policy & Advocacy
Engaging regulators and policymakers with evidence-based positions — contributing to frameworks that give fintech companies clearer rules and more room to innovate.
03
Infrastructure & Tools
Building practical tools that address real market problems — so companies and institutions don't have to start from zero.
04
Data Governance
Frameworks for how consumer financial data is collected, used, and protected — because privacy and accountability aren't afterthoughts; they're the foundation.
Flagship Initiative
Initiative 01 — Credit Infrastructure
CamScore: Credit Infrastructure for Cameroon
Most people in Cameroon have no formal credit history — not because they're not creditworthy, but because no one has built the infrastructure to assess them. CamScore is changing that.
27M+Cameroonians without a formal credit score
<15%Adults with access to formal credit
$4.2BEstimated SME credit gap
The goal is practical: build what Cameroon's financial sector actually needs.
We sit at the intersection of financial technology, regulation, and economic development. We focus on problems where better infrastructure or clearer rules could meaningfully expand access — and we try to do something useful about them.
Latest Activity
What we've been working on
09 APR 2026 — MEETINGMeeting with the National Institute of Statistics on data infrastructure and fintech ecosystem mapping.
MAR 2026 — PUBLICATIONPolicy brief published: Unlocking Alternative Lending for Financial Inclusion in Cameroon.
Monthly Forum
Cameroon FinTech & Data Chat
A structured monthly forum — 15 to 20 people, in person in Yaoundé — bringing together practitioners, regulators, and researchers for open dialogue on sector challenges.
Partners
We work with organisations that share our commitment to building a more inclusive financial system in Cameroon and the CEMAC region.
About Us
Independent, Evidence-Driven, and Focused on Cameroon.
An independent think tank focused on building a more inclusive and well-regulated financial system for Cameroon and the wider CEMAC region — one practical initiative at a time.
Our Mission
Why We Exist
Cameroon's financial sector is full of promise but still faces critical gaps. Mobile money has reached millions. Fintech companies are emerging. Regulators are beginning to engage. But the foundations of a modern digital economy — credit data infrastructure, clear compliance frameworks, and open finance protocols — remain underdeveloped.
The Cameroon FinTech Lab exists to help close those gaps. We're committed to being useful:
Useful to innovators — insights, data, and prototypes that accelerate fintech solutions.
Useful to regulators — evidence-based policy briefs that balance innovation with stability.
Useful to communities — promoting inclusive finance so digital tools reach those who need them most.
Our Approach
How We Work
We start with a clearly defined problem — something specific that's holding the market back. We gather evidence, speak to the right stakeholders, and develop a view on what a practical solution looks like. Then we either advocate for it, build it, or both.
Our initiatives are designed to be usable by real institutions — not just referenced in reports. We measure progress by whether things actually change: systems built, regulations clarified, capital unlocked.
Our Vision
To position Cameroon as a leading think tank for inclusive digital finance in Central Africa.
By fostering innovation, bridging structural barriers, and building collaborative ecosystems that empower individuals, institutions, and communities across the CEMAC region.
Our Principles
What we stand for
Intellectual Independence
Our positions are shaped by evidence, not by who funds us.
Local Context First
What works in Nairobi or London often doesn't work in Yaoundé. We understand Cameroon's specific constraints before reaching for ready-made solutions.
Practical Over Perfect
We'd rather build something that works and iterate than wait for perfect conditions.
Responsible by Design
Privacy, consumer protection, and data governance are design constraints from the start — not afterthoughts.
The Context
Where Cameroon's Financial Sector Stands Today
Cameroon has one of Central Africa's larger economies, but its financial infrastructure hasn't kept pace. These aren't unsolvable problems — they just need sustained, focused attention.
18%
Adult formal banking penetration
CEMAC
Regional body with a growing fintech agenda
Top 5
Mobile money growth markets in Sub-Saharan Africa
1
Formal credit bureau at national scale
Our Initiatives
Practical Solutions to Real Problems
We focus on a small number of initiatives where we think we can make a genuine difference — building tools and frameworks that the market needs but hasn't yet produced.
Active Initiatives
Initiative 01 — Credit Infrastructure
CamScore
A credit scoring framework for Cameroon — designed to help lenders assess risk more accurately and give individuals and businesses a way to build a verifiable credit history.
The problem it addresses
Most Cameroonians have no formal credit history — not because they're not creditworthy, but because no infrastructure exists to document it.
In Development
Initiative 02 — Regulatory Intelligence
Regora
A regulatory intelligence solution helping fintech companies in Cameroon understand which rules apply to them — and what they need to do to comply.
The problem it addresses
Cameroon's fintech regulatory landscape is complex, fragmented, and constantly evolving. Most companies don't have the in-house expertise to navigate it confidently.
Coming Soon
Initiative 03 — Capacity Building
Cameroon FinTech & Data Institute
A capacity-building institution developing the next generation of CEMAC regional fintech leaders through training, certification, and applied research.
The problem it addresses
Cameroon lacks a structured pipeline of fintech talent with both technical and regulatory literacy. The Institute bridges that gap.
Planned
Initiative 04 — Investment Access
Wealthfaire
Democratising bond investing in Cameroon and the wider CEMAC region — making government and corporate bonds accessible to everyday investors, not just institutions.
The problem it addresses
Bond markets in the CEMAC region are largely inaccessible to retail investors — dominated by institutional players, with no simple way for individuals to participate in fixed-income instruments that build long-term wealth.
Planned
Initiative 01 — Credit Infrastructure
CamScore
A credit scoring framework for Cameroon — designed to help lenders assess risk more accurately and give individuals and businesses a way to build a verifiable credit history for the first time.
The Problem
No Credit History Means No Access to Credit
In Cameroon, most lenders face a straightforward problem: they want to extend credit, but they have very little reliable data to assess who to lend to. There's no national credit bureau operating at scale, no standardised scoring methodology, and no shared data infrastructure.
“The barrier isn't creditworthiness. It's the absence of data to demonstrate it.”
The knock-on effects are significant. SMEs can't access working capital. Individuals can't finance education or housing. Informal lenders fill the gap, often at rates that make repayment harder, not easier.
How It Works
The CamScore Framework
01
Data Collection
CamScore aggregates financial behaviour data from mobile money operators, microfinance institutions, utility providers, and banks.
02
Scoring Methodology
A scoring model adapted to Cameroonian data patterns assigns a standardised credit score, designed for thin-file populations.
03
Lender Integration
Banks, MFIs, and fintechs connect via API. A single query returns a standardised score, enabling faster and more accurate credit decisions.
04
Regulatory Alignment
CamScore is developed in line with COBAC and CEMAC frameworks, with ongoing regulatory engagement.
Who It Serves
Built for the whole credit ecosystem
Individuals & Households
A regular mobile money user can build a verifiable credit history — and use it to access loans previously out of reach.
SMEs
Businesses can demonstrate creditworthiness beyond collateral alone — opening up working capital that's currently out of reach.
Banks & MFIs
Lenders can make more informed decisions and extend credit to a broader customer base with greater confidence.
Fintech Lenders
Digital lenders get a standardised scoring signal — enabling responsible automated lending without building proprietary data infrastructure.
Regulators
COBAC and BEAC gain better visibility into systemic credit risk and real data to inform policy.
Development Finance
DFIs can deploy capital through Cameroonian lenders with greater confidence in downstream credit quality.
Initiative 02 — Regulatory Intelligence
Regora
A regulatory intelligence solution that helps fintech companies in Cameroon understand which rules apply to them — and what they need to do to comply.
The Problem
Regulation Is Hard to Navigate
Cameroon's financial regulatory landscape spans multiple institutions: COBAC, BEAC, ANIF, the Ministry of Finance, and increasingly, CEMAC-level frameworks. The rules are real and consequential, but they're not always easy to find, interpret, or apply to a specific business model.
“Most fintech founders in Cameroon aren't trying to avoid regulation. They just don't have an easy way to understand it.”
What Regora Does
Making Compliance Accessible
Regulatory Mapping
Know which rules apply to you
Regora maps the regulatory landscape to specific business models — so a mobile lender gets a different view than a payment processor.
Plain-Language Guidance
Understand what regulations actually require
Regulatory texts are written for lawyers. Regora translates them into clear, actionable guidance.
Change Monitoring
Stay current as rules evolve
Regora monitors for regulatory updates that affect your business and flags what's changed.
Compliance Tracking
Track your obligations in one place
From licensing requirements to reporting deadlines, track what you've done and what's outstanding.
Early Access
Regora is currently in development
If you're a fintech company, investor, or regulatory body interested in the early access programme, we'd like to hear from you.
Research & Policy
Publications, Policy Positions & the FinTech Magazine
Our written output is free to access. We also document the policy positions we actively advocate for.
Flagship Publication
Quarterly Publication
Cameroon FinTech Magazine
A dedicated quarterly publication covering the people, companies, policies, and ideas shaping Cameroon's financial technology landscape — bridging practitioners, investors, and policymakers.
Company ProfilesThe people and companies building Cameroon's fintech sector.
Policy & RegulationWhat's changing in the regulatory environment.
Market IntelligenceData, trends, and analysis on investment and sector growth.
Ideas & OpinionPerspectives from founders, regulators, and researchers.
Thank you — we'll be in touch.
Working Papers
Policy Briefs & Research
Policy BriefMar 2026
Unlocking Alternative Lending for Financial Inclusion in Cameroon
An examination of the structural and regulatory barriers limiting alternative lending in Cameroon, with recommendations for enabling a broader, more inclusive credit market.
Published
Research2026
From Invisible Flows to Actionable Data: Building a Traceable FinTech Ecosystem in Cameroon
A framework for improving data visibility across Cameroon's informal and semi-formal financial flows.
In Progress
Policy Brief2026
Digitalising Cameroon's Civil Status Register: Strengthening Interoperability, Empowering Councils, and Accelerating Implementation under the 2025–2029 Strategic Plan
Implications for digital identity and financial inclusion across Cameroon.
In Progress
Our Positions
Where We Stand on Regulation
01
Establish a Formally Regulated National Credit Bureau
Cameroon needs a credit bureau under a clear legal and supervisory framework. CamScore is designed to serve as the technical backbone of such an institution, under COBAC licensing.
02
Enable Regulated Mobile Money Data Sharing for Credit
Regulated, consent-based data sharing with licensed credit bureaus — with proper privacy protections — would significantly improve credit access for millions.
03
Introduce a Regulatory Sandbox for Fintech Testing
A COBAC-administered sandbox would give fintech companies a safe space to iterate while managing risk — similar to frameworks in Kenya, Rwanda, and the UK.
04
Develop a Financial Data Privacy Framework
The use of consumer financial data by private actors needs explicit legislation. Cameroon's existing framework isn't sufficient for where the market is heading.
05
Align the CEMAC Framework with Continental Digital Finance Standards
Cross-border digital finance within the CEMAC zone is hampered by fragmented national rules. Harmonised standards would meaningfully improve the regional environment.
Events & News
What We Are Working On
Community forums, stakeholder meetings, and updates from the Lab — a running account of how the work is progressing.
Monthly Forum
Monthly — Recurring
Cameroon FinTech & Data Chat
A structured monthly forum — 15 to 20 people, in person — bringing together fintech practitioners, regulators, researchers, and data professionals for open dialogue on sector challenges and opportunities.
FormatIn person, Yaoundé
FrequencyMonthly
Size15–20
Who attends:
Fintech founders and product leads
Regulatory staff and compliance officers
Researchers and academics
Data professionals and engineers
Investors and development finance representatives
Recent Meetings
Stakeholder Engagements
09 Apr 2026
National Institute of Statistics
Meeting with NIS leadership to discuss data infrastructure, statistical capacity, and potential areas of collaboration relevant to fintech ecosystem mapping and financial data standards.
Upcoming
More meetings to be listed as confirmed.
The Team
The People Behind the Work
We bring together people with backgrounds in financial regulation, credit infrastructure, technology, and economic development — all focused on the same set of problems.
Leads research, regulatory engagement, policy advocacy, and all on-the-ground partnerships in Cameroon. The primary point of contact for government bodies, financial institutions, and development partners.
OB
Oumar El-Bashir
Design & Layout
Leads visual identity, design systems, and layout across all Lab publications, digital products, and communication materials.
Join the Lab
We're looking for people who care about the same problems we do.
We're actively looking for researchers, regulatory specialists, engineers, and relationship managers interested in doing meaningful work in African financial infrastructure.
Contact
Get Involved
Whether you're a regulator, financial institution, researcher, investor, or practitioner — we're open to conversations about how to work together.
We'd Like to Hear From You
We're looking for partners, collaborators, and individuals who bring expertise, relationships, or capital to the work. We also welcome engagement from journalists, academics, and policymakers.
AddressRondpoint Express — Yaoundé, Cameroon 3rd Floor, Immeuble La Charité
